Where my stash money goes

February 21, 2019

I spent the day two days ago making a mini book as I had so many things I wanted to keep and record about Colonial Williamsburg. Yes there will be more scrapbook pages but it was fun to do something different.

I found some very old paper I loved which was like crackled and old and I had fun using different embossing powder (goodness when did I last use them) to replicate the finish for the chipboard letters.

The cover is very dimensional and I made the flowers

I added lace onthecontrasting spine and a button and elastic closure

It uses a hinged system to hold the pages which are all pocket pages

You can see the hinge system here

the cover before it was decorated

The pocket pages covered but not decorated yet

I used two paper bags from the museum to act as inside covers and to hold journalling and the maps of the museum

It was a fun way to spend a Tuesday.

Yesterday i worked with Nigel doing a paint refresh at a local store. It was heavy dirty work but fun to do it together and heck -t hat's what baths are for!

Today I am thankful that the headache I have had for a week is a little less - but I feel it building again. I wish I knew what caused it.

Thankful for the ability to transormflat pieces of paper and card into a 3 dimensional book - such fun

December 31, 2016

I have no idea why the change of one second when one year ticks over to the next is such a significant event - but it is. I guess it is somethingw ithin us that sees signifcance in new starts and new opportunities.

Today has been about preparing for the new.

Our house is AMAZING today.

It kind of started with 'let's change the bed even though it doesn't really need it today so we have a newly changed bed to get into at the start of 2017!'

From there it wet to 'let's move the bed out (a massive endeavor as our bed is in sections with electrics and everything) and clean under it. Which led to let's spring clean the entire bedroom and bathroom which led to let's take down the decorations (so we could have a Fiki free relaxed evening with no tree up) which led to let's springclean the whole house and bin a load of stuff we never use.

The result is we are shattered but the house looks fab, we have de-cluttered and cleaned and we are all ready for a new year. I am starting 2017 as a sloth after today!

2016 has been an amazing year for us. We always knew it would be. I always post - for my benefit - a review of our year on 31st December and this year I have already finished my review book so can use that as my focus. Feel free to skip down tot he end - I am sure it will be boring as heck for anyone but us and for family who read the blog.

We feel very blessed this year. 2015 was a hard year for us both health wise and 2016 has been a year of thankfulness. We really have been thankful as we know what ill health means - we count ourselves blessed every day and started 2016 with great optimism.

This is the cover of the review book - it is a 12" x 6" book

It was a year about togetherness and so the inside cover reflects that. Nigel said - and it was very poignant - he gave me to TH 29 years ago and he was coming to get me back ... and he did.

It was this time last year that we really firmed up the plans we had had for about 18 months that I really was going to hand in my notice and take early retirement. I finally handed in my notice on 19th January. Hideous photo of me but it was a hasty snap on that morning to record the day. (and it is straight it is just that it is on hinges as the photo lifts up for journalling.

January also saw Nigel really start and make headway with setting up the Darcy Ward Foundation - a major achievement this year and one I am so proud of him for.

One notice had been given we both felt a weight had been lifted off our shoulders. What was done was done - no going back - just going forward.

February was cold with brisk walks and lots of sunshine. Actually it has been a year of sunshine.

March saw majour garage sorting ready for me to bring things home - and my last ever conference. I have been blessed to travel to many places and many nice hotels in my career and heard some truly remarkable speakers over the years. It is an aspect I will miss. I won't miss the black tie dinners though - not my style really.

March saw the start of the year of the nose too. My nose is looking much better now but Oh My was it awful. I had a possible cancerous lump removed and it all got infected and was dreadful. It turned out to be benign - thankfully - and I am now almost at the point where I am glad I had it done. Almost.

March also saw a lovely trip to Ghent, Amsterdam and Ypres - and everything in between. It was to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary

Our visit to Ypres and the Menin Gate was especially poignant as it was 100 anniversary of the Somme where my grandfather fought and we were there the day Brussels was attacked by terrorists too.

April saw ur 30th anniversary - we had celebrated early as I was at school for the day itself - it saw glorious bluebells and also our new beautiful hybrid car Ruby. We are both as in love with her today as we were in April when we got her. She is fab, saves us a fortune and is so gorgeous to drive.

April also saw me give a speech at my last school birthday and sit for my portrait - so not my style at all. It was also the first of many craft fairs this year which have become more and more successful as I have found what works and what doesn't.

We became annual members of Compton Acres and have enjoyed many visits and our cats continued to bring us such great joy. (even more so now the tree is down and we are not on guard all the time)

We re-did the study so I have proper 12 x 12 storage and it looks awesome and I also went on my last residential trip ever. It was also the best residential trip I had ever been on - how fitting.

June was a month of farewells and was very special, from the tea, the recognition of the bishop, the special transition service, the final concert and tea and prize-giving. It was all very emotional but I was so happy I had made the decision - it was so right, I had no doubts and have not looked back. I miss the girls at times, but I am very happy with the career I had and the life I now have.

This is one of the pocket pages so there are insert sheets documenting the events

Obviously I have had to cover up the pictures of children

June and into July saw many parties and celebrations - fitting I finally finished on 4th July - Independence Day

July was the first time I really relaxed. I realise now I never relaxed even int he summer holidays as I was always so driven to get everything done in 8 weeks holiday that I never just 'stopped' and chilled. This year I did. We had so many lovely days with friends and family and also went on a wet but enjoyable trip to Wales.

August was more of the same. Nigel had by now established the Foundation and had achieved so much. It had been a steep learning curve and a job he was doing 24/7 and so it was time for him, now it was all established, to take a step back and hand it over to someone else. He'd set up something to be really proud of.

He also fulfilled a dream and drove a trolley bus. He was thrilled.

We hunted Zebra in August, I damaged both my arm and my ankle (stupid accidents that were quite spectacular in their 'colour' and I suffered a complete and total comuter failure. Everything gone - thank God I back up regularly.

Septemeber - well September we were awa ont he best holiday we have ever had. It was a little of everything. Awesome road trip, amazing weather, cities, and forests, mountains and lakes, coast and vineyards and - of course - Disney and Angels.

There are also several insets in this pocket page.

October saw us settle into our new life. Nigel's brothers visited, we enjoyed Autumn colours and sunsets and partied.

The weather was exceptional right through the year and we enjoyed so many lovely walks and lunches out. We are blessed to live in such a beautiful place

and December saw more great days out, lots of fun with family and friends

and a truly special Christmas

We have indeed had a blessed year and one which we count ourselves very lucky.

Finally I finished the JYC book

I hope 2016 has been a wonderful year for all of you. It is true there are always bad things that happen too and sadness along the way but I genuinely believe it is important to look for the good, for the things to be thankful for, to build on positivity etc. Last year I selected a word at random and it was Future. This year has been one where we have reclaimed our future, however long that may be. We have so much to be thankful for and I hope that you have too.

I wish you all - in advance - a very happy new year. I hope 2017 is one filled with health and happiness, love and laughter for us and for all of you

September 24, 2016

I promised I would celebrate my first month of freedom with some freebies so I have another today - this one made as a part of a blog hop promotion - a very simple accordion album.

This is a very simple accordion book to use as a display item at home. I used a Woodware base for mine, but it would be just as easy to cut the squares from a very thick cardboard. If you want it to stand up you need to make sure the card used is reasonably thick and substantial.

The step by step here is very simple as the design is very straightforward. At the end of the post there is also a PDF file you can download that has all of the instructions and pictures and makes for an easy reference sheet if you want to create this project. The supplies given are for the book I made. Obviously you will vary them according to what you want to create.

When making any sort of mini book I find it is much quicker to assemble all the supplies before you start. That way you have everything coordinated and ready and you can complete the book really quickly.

Having everything coordinated means that the book works as a whole thing. It doesn’t seem disjointed.

There are so many coordinated ranges out there that the job is made even more simple, although there is a thrill putting together your own selection mixed and matched from lots of different ranges.

When making mini books I prefer to think of each page as a separate scrapbook page, work on it as a separate page and then assemble them all together as a final stage.

I cut all of my background papers first – 8 squares each 6” x 6”. This meant that I knew what colours my 8 bases were and could ensure they were balanced before I started.

6” x 6” is a perfect size as it means you get 4 ‘pages’ out of each 12” x 12” sheet.

One of the things you can do to make a book work better together as a whole is repeat ideas and designs throughout. You might want to have several elements which are used on many of the pages. For this book I used doodled photo mats, doodled flowers, glitter, scalloped edges and stitching as my repeated elements. Not all elements were used on every page, but by mixing and matching them you get a cohesive look at the end of it.

The doodled mats are simple to do and quite effective when making a mini book.

Cut the mat to the size you wanted

Using a black journaling pen draw two parallel lines all round the mat. You are NOT looking for perfection. The beauty of doing this is that it is hand drawn and whimsical. You don’t want ruler straight lines.

Once you have drawn the lines, use the pen to colour in small blocks between them. Again, you are not looking for a regimented design of small small large etc. Mix the sizes and spaces up so it is as random as possible.

Once you have finished your mat add the photo to it and you are good to go.

I didn’t use doodled mats on all of my pages and I did vary some of them using dots and swirls instead.

One of the ways of tying something like a mini book together as a whole is to use scraps of the papers to make the embellishments.

In keeping with the doodled theme I drew doodled flowers for many of the pages.

Again you are not looking for perfection. You are looking for a freestyle where petals are uneven and double lined.

Once you have doodled them cut them out leaving a small border.

As the letters I used had little bits of bling on, I added stickled glue to the edges of the petals and to the centres of the smaller flowers. The larger flowers had tiny felt blossoms stuck in the centre.

I love sewing on pages as it gives extra detail. It is very easy to use a sewing machine, but good effects can be achieved with hand sewing and with faux stitching where you just draw or stamp the stitches on.

Faux stitching is very simple – if you are going for a faux zigzag just stick the shape to the background and use a regular journaling pen and draw the zigzags over the edge of the shape to make it looks as if it is stitched to the background.

Big simple shapes make good background detail to the page. I used circles which were sewn on for several of the pages and also used a large heart which was stitched on to the background paper.

Once you have completed all the pages it is time to assemble the book as a whole.

The album I used had slots cut in the wood so that the book could be joined together. If you are using a book like this then it is much easier to cut the slots in your pages before you mount it all together. I marked where the slots had to be on each page by using a pricking tool to prick through and then cut the slots with a craft knife.

If you are making your own base from thick chipboard then you could punch the holes with a crop-a-dile either before you mount the pages to the base or after if they are not too thick.

You need to make sure that your individual pages are stuck down very well to the album. I prefer to use Herma permanent adhesive as it is just my glue of preference. I lie the page on top of the base as I glue so that I can go right to the edge each time and any spare glue only goes on the base – which is a good thing!

If you have ‘lumpy’ pages, which I often do, or simply if you prefer to use it, double sided tape is the answer.

Make sure you lay the tape right up to the edge of the page as you want a good firm stick right along every edge with no loose bits.

Once you have assemble the individual pages to both sides of the base boards you need to join it all together to make the display album.

I joined mine with ribbons. I chose to use very sheer ribbons for joining the pages so that if they were in front of pictures they would not detract from them. I used fancier ribbons on the ends.

A good tip I was given, and always use, is that I burn the edges of the ribbons,. I keep a lighter in the craft room and just flash the cut edge of the ribbon in front of the flame. This seals the edge and stops it from fraying and is the most effective method I have found.

Do be CAREFUL though. It is a naked flame and the ribbons catch and melt very quickly.

I hope that you enjoy making one of these.

If you find these instructions at all useful and if you make one I would love you to let me know and share it with me if possible. Just drop me a line on my blog.

If you want to download the full PDF which can be printed easily then you can download it HERE

Thank you for stopping by and do please visit again. I often have free downloads and classes on the blog.

September 19, 2016

Still trying to post freebies this month as I am really enjoying being free myself.

Some questions first.

Do I have a new mother board .... NO

Is my computer back ....NO

Am I happy about it .... NO

Am I getting better at being chilled about things .... ABSOLUTELY 100% YES

However, onto a class.

This is a really simple mini book and it was a class I used at school when I ran scrapping classes for the children. So many girls have made these little books and loved them.

It is a very very simple book and uses many ideas that I have gleaned from around cyber world. I am very keen to stress it is not unique and I owe credit for some of the techniques - the little tab and 'buckle' page to the Sleeping Under canvas mini book by DeeMo that was part of the most recent UKS cyber crop. The flap and fold page was also in that class but I have used that before and I picked that up from another mini book I saw on You Tube. I guess there are few new and unique ideas, the differences are how they are combined.

This mini book uses a very simple binding rather than a stitched or matchbook binding that I usually do.

This is the front of the mini book - cats of course.

I have used the book to record the cats in 2012 so all of the pictures were taken last year.

Here are the rest of the pages

It uses just two sheets of 12" x 12" cardstock, two pieces of chipboard and scraps of card and patterned paper and is really really simple to make. I like simple!

November 11, 2015

Today has been about remembrance in all sorts of ways and so it seems fitting to make this entry just about that.

and to share a pictures of our family -my grandfather, Nigel's grandfather and my Daddy - thankfully they came home after serving their country to preserve our freedom in both first and second world wars

my Daddy was just 14 when he ran away to sea, boarded a merchant navy ship and was caught up in the battle of the Atlantic and then left the navy at the end of the war and joined the army, serving in Egypt.

We owe all serving men and women and all veterans such a debt of gratitude.

Today I am thankful for

people who bought our freedom with their lives and those who protect us still

October 29, 2014

Well, things don't always work out as you plan but it is now complete and looks sort of OK.

I really wanted to make a little album tor emember our visit to see the poppies as it is such an important thing to remember. I was so impressed witht eh whole concept of it, from the moment I heard about it. Seeing it was the icing on the cake.

Yhe pages measure just over 6" x 4" and this is the cover.

I spent ages trying to find what I needed for the poppies as I knew I wanted to make my own. In the end I cut apart a big silk carnation to get the fabric to make the large poppies. The small poppies were flowers I already had with beads stuck int eh centre.

The swirls are of red felt and the letters are metalic red foil.

This is the spine of the book

It looks like it is all creased - it isn't really.

This is the inside

I knew before I started that I also wanted to include some photos of my grandfather who fought in the First World War and also the information about the whole concept as I felt it was so important to record. I also wanted to record the poem - In Flanders Fields as it was my Mom's favourite poem and one I wrote out and put with her when she died.

There are more tags and flaps than I have shown here.

A couple of the photos - namely the beefeaters and the large close up poppy, were downloaded from the internet but the rest are photos we took on the day.

I am pleased I did get to make it int he end inspite of so many things going wrong.

July 25, 2014

I set myself a target this holiday of finishing the Belgium album but actually I am just a bit fed up of Belgium at the moment and so yesterday I started doing a new mini book. Well it was meant to be a mini book, but ended up being just over 6 x 6

I wanted to scrap the great sculptures we saw at Sculpture byt he Lakes last month. I had made one full size page but there were so many wonderful pictures of the sculptures and the whole ambiance that I figured a mini book would be better to showcase them all together.

So I started it and quickly 'lost my desk'.

I can only manage mini books by having everything I need out on my desk - the papers, the stamps, the embellishments, the letters etc. And the desk gets full really quickly. It is not a good place for me. I am a very tidy scrapper and clear the desk completely after every page.

So having started it I needed to finish it before I could ever do anything else.

Here is the cover

I went with aquas and greens as they were the colours of the venue. It is a lot more dimensional than it looks

The leaves were cut from felt and then re-coloured with ink and pens that never dried. I suppose the green will come off my fingers and nails one day - clearly not today though.

There were so many pictures I ended up with loads of flaps and pickets and folds to get everything in

Not a lot to show for almost 2 days work really is it. Mind you - I think it took me three hours to chose and print the photos.

I work at such a slower pace when I am on holiday. I am sure when I retire ... one day .... I will never get anything done!

December 02, 2013

This time we let the train take the strain and travelled up in a far more relaxed way - well kind of relaxed. we worked most of the time on the train, making good use of the time.

I have never been all the way to London on the train - what a sheltered life I lead.

The course was good, London is packed with Starbucks (what's not to like) and I only made a fool of myself at the very end. Just failed at the last hurdle. How was I meant to know you would need your ticket to get out. I could see Nij stood there smiling as I furtled everywhere to find a ticket.

This is my second page for my JYC

It seemed sensible to start with Advent as it was all about getting ready.

We have several advent calendars and this is our favourite.

The flap flips up so that you can see the tree we bought last year that gets hung with the little wooden ornaments inside the drawers of the house advent.

December 01, 2013

Today sees the first day of December and the start of Advent. The season of preparation, of getting ready ... not just for the celebrations of gifts and cards, carols and candles, food and fun, but preparing again for the Lord, making your heart and your life ready to welcome Him again ... as if he ever left.

Last night we celebrated Thanksgiving and enjoyed a super meal - just the two of us. It was delicious.

Today - today Christmas came. Our lights went on and I started to fill my prepared Journal for my 8th Journal Your Christmas.

I started - as always - with the manifesto. This year my focus is on the decorations we have in our home ... and they are many. It is difficult to think of something new each year, but I am pleased witht he box the album is in and pleased with the concept. I just hope I am as pleased when I have finished it.

This is the first page - my manifesto, my promise to myself.

and with the tag pulled out

and this is my page for 1st December.

It seemed fitting to have a page with the welcome you get at the front door as the welcome to the album.

It also marks a new change this year - a new front door. The wreath was new last year. We had had the same wreath for 25 years and we loved it - but sadly it really wasn't coping well the last few years and we struggled to find one we like. This is it.

Happy advent to you all - I hope it is a magical time for all of you and a time when you also have time to stop, take stock and think about the joys of the coming season.

November 17, 2013

I am usually not as well orgnised for Journal Your Christmas as I am this year.

It's just that this year I knew exactly what I wanted to do.

In February last year my mother-in-law gave me a box. Now many people give me boxes because they know I like to re-purpose them. I have a good old stash of boxes ready for mini book, albums etc.

But this one was really cute.

It was really thick and sturdy and a good size. I knew, from the first time I saw it, it was destined for JYC this year.

The trouble was, cute as it was, it was too ctesy for me and the back was heavily printed.

I don't do bright and funky Christmas really - I do vintage traditional, so the only thing for it was to recover it, which meant taking it apart, taking out the plastic front, off with the chimney etc.

The photo in the front - which just sort of worked - is of the front door of my dolls' house, all decked out for Christmas.

The box was a piece of cake - the roof an utter nightmare. And it isn't by any means perfect, but it is 'handmade and whimsical ' (code for a little bit scruffy!!!)

I also made the book to go inside it and so I am now all set for JYC this year.

I have decided that the focus is going to be photos of what we have at home in the way of Christmas decorations, ornaments, etc. The signs of Christmas in and around out home.

This will be my 8th Christmas Journal and so trying to come up with something new as a main focus each year is very challenging.

All About Me

I am Scrapdolly - frequently answering to just Dolly. I live with my soulmate Nigel, two cats and a Fiki monster and I love to scrap. Scrapping is my creative outlet, my daily therapy, my sanity restorer and where I meet my friends. Come share it with me.